Leo Cullen says Leinster have had "some conversations" with Ireland out-half Joey Carbery about a return to the province.
The 30-year-old joined Munster from Leinster in 2018 - a move that didn't go down well with his native province - before moving to France in 2024
His two-year contract with Bordeaux-Begles comes to an end over the summer, with Ulster reportedly among his suitors.
The Kildare native played 37 times for Leinster between 2016 and 2018 and has 37 Ireland caps.
"We've had some conversations with Joey," said Cullen after naming his matchday 23 for tomorrow's Champions Cup clash against La Rochelle
"Yeah, that'll play out over the next little while.
"I don't think it’s a great secret I wasn’t a big fan of how that played out at the time, and I wouldn’t have blamed Joey in any sense, but some of the people who were involved there I don’t think covered themselves in glory, did they?"
The 48-year-old added: "I don't have anything concrete to tell you, there's lots of speculation at this time of year."
"Joey is obviously someone who has come through the pathway here, so someone we know well and he's definitely a player we've always admired."
Asked about his prospects of competing for the 10 shirt with current Ireland internationals Sam Prendergast and Harry Byrne, and academy player Caspar Gabriel, Cullen said: "You can never have enough good players in your squad, [is] the moral of the story, I think."
Meanwhile, Tadhg Furlong suffered a head injury in Leinster training but is expected to be fit for next weekend's Champions Cup trip to Bayonne, while Andrew Porter also picked up a calf injury during the week.
Leinster are low on props ahead of tomorrow's Aviva Stadium clash with La Rochelle with fellow Irish front row Jack Boyle out with a shoulder injury and France international Rabah Slimani sidelined with a calf issue.
The hosts are able to call on Ireland internationals Paddy McCarthy and Thomas Clarkson to start against La Rochelle's France internationals Uini Atonio and Reda Wardi in Dublin tomorrow (5.30pm) but their back-ups have limited first-team experience.
Furlong and Porter would be Ireland's first-choice props with Andy Farrell's side beginning their Six Nations campaign on Thursday 5 February.
Loosehead Jerry Cahir, 22, has three Leinster games to his name, one start and two replacement appearances totalling 108 minutes, while 21-year-old Andrew Sparrow played 25 minutes off the bench against Stormers and Zebre this season.
"Tadhg took a head-knock in training, he's in graduated-return-to-play [protocols], so I think he'll be back next week
"Andrew Porter got injured yesterday in training with a calf, so timeline uncertain with him.
"Jack Boyle went off in the Connacht game at the weekend with a bang to his shoulder, so I don't think he's going to be too bad.
"I think it'll be possibly next week, if not next week, the week after."
Cullen, whose side have won their last three games against Ronan O'Gara's double European champions said: "We work away all year trying to cover some of these different scenarios.
"Jerry has come in from club rugby. When [former Leinster prop] Mikey Milne down to Munster towards the end of last season, we've been looking around, and Jerry played an 'A' game.
"If you remember Ivan Soroka came in during the course of last season for that South Africa trip. Jerry has come in this year, and he's been great.
"Andrew has come through the underage system, he's in the academy currently. He was away with us in South Africa as well at the start of the season. It's great those guys starting off their journey and I love it.
"There's nothing better when you're telling some of these guys that they're going to be involved in a matchday 23, whether it's the first time in the URC and the first time in the Champions Cup as well.
"JJ Kenny is another one starting on the wing who came in on a trial basis during pre-season. To see the progression that he's made is phenomenal really.
"He fully deserves to be involved. He wasn't even in that original Champions Cup squad."
Lock RG Snyman (shoulder) and Garry Ringrose (leg) are back in training but tomorrow's game comes too soon.
Full-back Hugo Keenan, who had hip surgery after the summer's British and Irish Lions tour, has returned to training.
"Hugo is back, trained yesterday," said Cullen.
"He still needs probably a little bit more [time], a week or two certainly of training anyway.
"He's had surgery on his hip and what does that feel like going back in.
"He'll be pretty close to [a game before the Six Nations], yeah."
